7'\\ 



a^ddf?e:ss 



nELlVERED BY 



JOHN ALLISON 



"ling's MoBDtain Daj, Oct. 7" 



Ywnnessee Centennial Exhibition 

in Nashville, May 1 to 

Oct. 31, 1897. 



PRESS OF 

MARSHALL & BRUCE CO. 

NASHVILLE, TENN. 



.K6h 



BATTLE OF KING'S MOU^'TAIX. 

Genesis of the ''Volunteer State." 
"The world has but little to hope from the man or GoWenaKeof 

. past and oppor- 

woman to whom the golden age oi the past is more, tuuity of pres- 
insjDiring than the golden opportunity of the pres- 
ent.'' 

It is a common occurrence to meet men and wo- 
men in life's highway, with their faces turned back- 
ward, who are bewailing the army of evils and ad- 
versities that the present has brought upon them, and 
in the same breath proclaiming the glories and good 
times of the days long gone by. It is equally as com- 
mon to meet men on this same highway who have ex- 
hausted botli strength and breath in their chase after 
the gold-en opportunity. The first mentioned of 
these two classes should occasionally turn their faces 
and look forward ; the second should pause long 
enough now and then in their pursuit after the dollar 
to read a few of the inscriptions on the monuments 
of history. 

The battle of King's Mountain, fought on October „.Battip^ of 

^ 7 D King s Moun- 

7, 1780, was not a great battle in the sense that great J^^^- October?, 
armies and famous generals were engaged in it, for 
there were neither ; and yet it was beyond question 
one of the "world's decisive battles," for, writing of j,g^i°fyg°4ttiM 
this battle, Jefferson said, "It was the joyful enun-'^/^effer^son-s 
ciation of that turn of the tide of success which termi- what°°' others 
nated the revolutionary war with the seal of inde- 
pendence," and was referred to by Chief Justice 
John Marshall, Irving, and Bancroft, Americans, 
and Botta, the Italian historian, and Lord Corn- 
wallis and Lord Eawdon, Englishmen, as turning 



the tide of success in favor of the Americans in tlie 
southern provinces, if not in the whole country. 

Wliy was this battle, then, a great battle — one of 

the decisive battles in the world's history ? A broad, 

concise answer to this question would be, because the 

American ar- American armies had been defeated, routed and in 

mies had met i r- ^ M 

defeat in many i\^q niaiu brokcu UD in almost every battle fought for 

battles preoed- ^ . -, 

i'^s ^^- a period of about eighteen months preceding the bat- 

tle on King's Mountain. Modern writers and orators 
on the battle of King's Mountain simply assert that 
it occurred at about the "darkest," or the "gloomiest," 
or the "most hopeless period in the struggle for Amer- 
ican independence," without stating the facts or con- 
ditions that caused the darkness, the gloom, etc., that 
hung over the whole country. 

To review, briefly, a few of the disasters to the 
American armies that shortly preceded King's 
Mountain will be the most satisfactory way to mag- 
nify the importance of this battle in its results, as 
well as to i^oint out Avliy Mr. Jefferson declared it to 
be the "turn in the tide that sealed our independ- 
ence." 
Buzzard-sBay In the carlv summcr of 1779 the British sent an 

expedition by "^ • i i 

British, 1779. expedition to Buzzard's Bay, where it destroyed it 
great number of privateers, merchantmen, maga- 
zines, stores and supplies, and then burning many 
private houses and seizing private property, pro- 
Martha's cceded to the fertile and pojuilous island of Martha's 

and destroyed Vinevard, wlicrc thcv scized and carried away all 

by British. ' " t t n -i i i i ni 

the live stock they could nnd and destroyed all res- 
idences, barns and other private property which they 
could not use or carry away. During this time an- 
Expedition up other expedition went up ISTorth Kiver under Corn- 
under Cornwai--^vanis^ surprised, captured and broke up the Wash- 
washington ingtou Light Horse Eegiment, while another expedi- 

Light Horse " . -r • i t-i tt i • -v^ t 

Regiment cap- fiou weut agaiust Little Jigg Harbor, in jNew Jersey, 

tured by Corn- ^ /• -r> i i v 

waiiis. where it surprised and ca])tured part of rulaski s 



Iii Exchange 
iiuke UniYsrsity 
JUL 1 2 19'i'i 



Legion and put the captured to the sword, burned ^Li^tie^^^Egg 
and destroyed all the privateers and vessels in the '^i°p"^^yg^[,'^*i^|J: 
harbor, and then burned the town to ashes. Just ||j°J'„^fgY^";,"/g^d'| 
preceding the events mentioned. Savannah, then theed ^^lli "de- 
capital of Georgia, was taken by the British, and savannah, 

.,. . ■, I, -, 1 n 1 -I ^ Ga., taken by 

withm a period oi ten days thereaiter tlie whoie British, 
province of Georgia was in the possession of the Georgia pass- 

11^^ es under cou- 

British, except a little scope of country, called Sun- "oi of British. 
berry District, which capitulated also in a few weeks. 

The British then set about to bring South Carolina ,. south caro- 

~ lina invaded by 

into subjection. The Tories organized and joined the ^^r^^^j'^g j^i^ 
British, but the Americans met them on their first ^*^*'^"''^''- 
approach upon South C^arolina and checked them tem- 
porarily. In the meantime General Lincoln with ;i Gen. Lincoln 

^ advancing to 

considerable army of Americans was advancing to retake savan- 

t -^ o nah. 

retake Savannah, while another body of American 

troous had posted itself on Brier Creek, near tho,.4™'l':'°^"s^at 

^ ' Brier Creek de- 

Savannah Eiver: but this body was soon surprised, ^^j^g^^^^^-j^^^j.^^ 
defeated and routed by the British, the Americans ^d^'""^" '°"^- 
losing three hundred killed, Avhile a great number 
were driven into the river and dro^^med, the remain- 
der being disjDersed and driven into the swamps. At 
Brier Creek the Americans lost all of their artillery, 
small arms, stores, baggage, etc., and thereupon Gen- 
eral Lincoln retreated toward the Augusta River, and Gen. Lincoln 

^ ' retreats toward 

the British entered South Carolina and began opera- Augusta River, 
tions in such manner as to appall civilization. Hav- 
ing seized the most important islands in the vicinity 
of Charleston, the British then proceeded to plunder Charleston 

^ ^ threatened by 

the residences of individuals and rob them of every- British. 

thing of value wdthout authority of law or even the 

decency usually observed by highwaymen ; they com- British oom- 

^ . . "^11 1 • • '^'^ infamous 

mitted the most infamous and brutal crimes against and brutal out- 

"^ rages. 

helpless, unprotected women, and violated every law 
of honor, honesty and civilization in their treatment -g^^ii^^^ force 
of the people, and then forced slaves to leave their maltlrs° '^^nd 
masters and take up arms against them. agaLst^them™* 



— 4 — 

D'Estaing, At tliis I'lincture of affairs Count d'Estain^, the 

French Adiui- •' '^^ 

rai.and Pulaski ]?j.gjj(>]^ Admiral, returned from the West Indies 

attack Savan- " 

pufsed.*^ Pu\lT- ^^^ith his fleetj and, with Count Pulaski, attacked the 
and ^d'Esu'lug British forces at Savannah, but the assailants were 
repulsed at all points with great slaughter, more than 
twelve hundred Americans being killed, including 
General (or Count) Pulaski, d'Estaing being wound- 
ed. 
va^Tak"u"uid Portsmouth, Va., was taken by the British and 
i2o"ve'iseis"by bumcd, the British capturing and burning one hun- 
fu"pi^s ^fir dred and twenty vessels of different kinds in the 
army captured harbor, wliilc tlicy carried off twenty of the largest 

and carried otf. i i , n r>Ti i -ii • • i 

and best vessels iilled with provisions and ammuni- 
verpiank's tion that had been collected there and designed for 

Neck, King's " 

Ferry and sto- General Washington's arm v. Verplank's ISTeck, 

ny Point, N.\ ., fs J r .' 

BHtrsh!*""*"^ *° King's Ferry, and Stony Point, in 'New York, were 
an^^^Fairfllw, ^11 Surrendered to the British ; New Haven was 
iak°o"r°"°n d taken, and all the stores that had been collected there 
^m-ne y ri ^^.^^.^ destroyed, from which ])oint the British 
marclied to Fairfield and burned the town to ashes. 

Norfolk, Va., 

captured and j\ ortolk was attacked, captured, and reduced to a 

burned byBrit- ' ^ ' 

^^^- a ,j heap of ashes ; Greenfield, a small seaport town, was 

Greenfield cap- ■ •" ' J^ ' 

ed'b?B"rS."' taken and burned. 

peditk)ir"'''''by The American expedition sent up the Penobscot 
fanure!'*'Amer- was a failure, and it was driven by the British into 
routed into the swauips, leaving the fleet of forty -three ships in 

swamps; ships . . r> i -t-> • • i 

captured. the posscssiou 01 tiic British. ( 

At this time the situation in one part of Penn- 
sylvania was without parallel or counterpart in the 
history of war — an alliance of sixteen hundred men 
having been formed between the British, savage In- 
dians and To- dians and Tories for the purpose of attacking the 

ries commit n n • i • i j* ^tt 

murder, arson then iiew and flourishing settlement of Wyoming, 

and brutal as- 

sauits in Wy- situated Oil tlic eastern branch of the Susquehanna 

oming, Pa. ^ 

River. This settlement consisted of eight townships 
situated on both sides of the river, which had fur- 
nished about one thousand men to the Continental 



— 5 — 

(American) army. Four forts had been constructed 
for women, children and aged men to take refuge in, 
in time of danger. CoL Zebulpn Butler, a brave 
Pennsylvanian, with about four hundred men, was in 
one of these forts, and the British, by the treacherous British, in- 

. IT. II' dians and To- 

use of a nao; of truce, induced him and his men to ries destroy 

" ' Butler under 

come out for a conference, when they were drawn flag of truce. 
into an ambuscade and three hundred and twenty- 
five of them massacred, seventy-five only escaping the 
deliberate butchery. The day following this massa- ^.^^^'ish,^ lu- 
cre two of the other forts. Fort Wilksborough and sowie^s!™ om- 
Fort Kingston, were attacked by the allied forces, and ased' men 
captured, and, with the soldiers, women and children borough, Pa., 

, . , , ,^, T~, • . 1 1 1 'n 1 and kill all live 

therein, were burned, iiie British then killed every stock at Wy- 
oming, Pa. 
horse, cow, hog and living thing which they could 

not carry away with them, and left beautiful Wyo- 
ming transformed into a scene of devastation and 
death, the forts and houses having been converted 
into smoking ashbanks made of wood and human 
flesh. 

In May, 1780, General Lincoln surrendered the Gen. Lincoln 

•'' ' surrenders 

city of Charleston, with his whole army, and with 0*^'^,/^ \°|s' afl 

these the whole of South Carolina passed under Brit- "^^ '° ^"'''^• 

ish control, and it seemed at this time that the cit.y 

and state of Kew York was hopelessly lost to the 

"cause of liberty," for, in response to the call of the 

British General Pattison for soldiers, forty com- Fortycompa- 

' "^ nies raised in 

panics were made up in the then six wards of New fjj® ^f^^ ^""^Ir^ 
York City, while other volunteer companies were f^e^ serVicT'of 
formed and "entered the service of the king." Two ^"^citizins ^f 
hundred and ten prominent citizens of Charleston to become'Bri't- 

Ti . ^ ^ • ^ ^ ^ ^^^ subjects. 

siffned an address praying to be admitted to the char- Gen. Gates 

*= 1 ./ Q r\ K defeated by 

acter and condition of British subiects. On August Comwaiiis at 

•' ^ Camden, with 

16, General Gates was defeated and routed by Corn- Jf.ss^^ ot^^2,ooo 
wallis, General Gates losing in the battle more than^^^g^°^'^j<',^P; 
one thousand killed and over a thousand captured, °4gons^ammul 

di- 1 ■ ■•Ti n •■• nition, etc. De- 

every piece oi his artillery, all ammunition, wag- Kaib captured. 



6 — 



ons and baggage, General DeKalb being captured by 
tlie British in this engagement. 
prT^^^andT: 0(1 Angust 18, (1780) Colonel Tarlton surprised 
sTrapt'er's' men and defeated General Sumpter, killing more than one 
cred^aftersur- hundred and fifty of Sumpter's men, most of whom 
were killed after they had become prisoners of war. 
Tarlton cajatured all of Sumpter's cannon and forty- 
four baggage wagons, with some ammunition and 
provisions. 
Aru^New Early in September, 1780, Major General Arnold 
trauor and"de- turned traitor and tried to betray West Point into 
the hands of the British, and then deserted. 

And thus for about eighteen months the tide and 
fortunes of war had been running with fearful steadi- 
ness against the Americans, and it seemed as if the 
struggle for human freedom was to be decided against 
them, 
have Georgia, Lord Comwallis, Tarltou, Ferguson and other 

South Carolina t-) • • t n- • i i • r> it i i 

and part of Uritisli oiTicers, With 'their forces, had completelv 

North Carolina /^ • o i /^ • i- -j 

in possession, overrun Georgia, South Carolina and a part of ISTortli 
Carolina, so the picture, at this time, Avas indeed 
Many patri- <lark and gloomy, and many of the true friends of the 
BHtish'author- commoii cause of liberty submitted to British author- 
don hope.*^ '^^' ity and joined and took protection under the British 
standard, believing that their freedom and independ- 

James Madi- at- -it -^.r t 

son wiiiiuff to eiicc Were lost. At tins period J ames JMadison ex- 

give up Geor- _ _ _ 

gia. South Car- prcsscd a willinguess to peace with the loss of Georgia 

olinaand Ivorth ^ a J- o 

British '^ ^° ^^^ '^^^^ ^^^® ^^^*^ Carolinas, making the south line of Vir- 
ginia the boundary between the British and the Con- 
■rT^*'''fv,Jl ,2 federation of States. But there was a little rift in 
han''g^''*7he tbe angry cloud that overhung the patriots. 
Americans. j^^ August, 1780, Lieut. Col. Joliu Scvicr, with 

]iart of his regiment from Washington County, and 
S^'rl- , ^^''Vu^ Gol. Isaac Shelbv, of Sullivan Countv, with part of 

and Col. Shflby • ' .11 

c"o*i*^''ciark''°in ^^^^ regiment, suddenly joined Colonel Clark, of 

andma'^ke'short Gre*^'"S'ia? in the Caroliuas, and they surprised and 

ai?st'°and Ms ca]itiired Col. Patrick Moore, a distinguished ''loyal- 
regiment. 



ist," with his force of Tories of about five hundred, 
on the Pacolet River. Sevier, after the capture of 
Moore, was put in charge of the jirisoners, and after 
disposing of these, went back to the Watauga settle- 
ment to ^vatch the frontier. Patrick Ferguson, a Ferguson'! wuh 
major in the British regular line of the Seventy-first regulars, ap- 

-r. ' • 1 1 • T 1 • ^ -rr- 1 P^ars on the 

Kegiment, and a brigadier general m the King o scene. 
Royal (American) Militia, at this time, with his 
regiment (Seventy-first), had been detached by Lord 
Cornwallis and sent in the direction of the point 
where Col. Patrick Moore had been captured. 

In the meantime, General McDowell, commander 
of the American forces in that particular district, 
detached Shelby and Clark, with their joint force 
of about five hundred men, to surprise and capture 
another force of Tories of several hundred, then en- 
camped on the Enoree River at Muskgrove Mill. Per- mul '''^'°''' 
guson, two thousand strong, composed of the Seventy- 
first Regiment of British regulars, some Tories, and 
the Queen's American Regiment from New York, Queen'sAmer- 

" ican Regiment 

commanded by Colonel Innis, was on the lookout for fro™ New York. 
Shelbv and Clark, and made two or three unsuccess- 
ful attempts to surprise and capture them. When 
Shelby and Clark got ready, they let Ferguson find 
them, which was early in August, and at a place 
called Cedar SjDring, where Shelby had chosen to Cedar spring, 
fight. At this place Ferguson's advance, then about ciark victori- 
seven hundred strong, came up on Shelby and a fierce 
conflict of about forty-five minutes ensued, when 
Ferguson, coining up with his whole force, Shelby re- 
treated from the field, carrying with him twenty-odd 
l^risoners, with two British officers. Shelby and Clark 
lost in this engagement ten or twelve in killed, 
wounded and captured. Colonel Clark being slightly 
wounded. Samuel Phillips, one of Shelby's men, samuei Phii- 
was captured by the British. It now happened that shliby°s'"'men! 
Ferguson, with his whole force, lay directly between BrS.*^ ""^ *^^ 



Shelby and Clark (tlie latter having been joined b_y 

Colonel Williams), and their objective point, Mnsk- 

sheiby and grovc Mill. Slielbj, Clark and Williams, with their 

the woods" for united, though small, force, left the roads and ^'took 

a purpose. , '„ . , -^ , 

to the woods, passing around ±erguson s camp some 
four miles to his left. Tlie_y rode all night and about 
the dawn of day, and when within half a mile of the 
Tory camp, they met a strong patrol of the enemy, 
and a sharp skirmish took place, the enemy retreat- 
ing. After the enemy had retreated, a countryman, 
living near the Tory camp, came to Shelby and in- 
formed him that the Tories had been reinforced dur- 
ing iJie night by the Queen's American Regiment of 
Xew Yorkers, six hundred strong. The statement 
made to Shelby by the countryman was so minute 
and straightforward as to leave no doubt of its truth. 
Clark in cic«e To marcli forward and attack the enemy was too 
equal' to"emer- liazardous to be Considered ; to attempt a retreat 
with men and horses worn out from hunger and ex- 
haustion was impossible. Shelby, superior in com- 
mand, determined to make a stand, and, if attacked, 
fight the enemy, and he immediately formed breast- 
worlvs of logs, brush, etc., near the Enoree River. 
ofSh^eiby'sReg- Captain Inman, of Shelby's men, was sent out with 
mish fine. twcnty-fivc men to meet and skirmish with the enemy 
as soon as he crossed the river, or as soon as he heard 
the bugles and drums, and could locate them. Inman 
was ordered to fire and retreat at discretion. In- 
agem.^'^'*^*'^'^*'!^^^^^'^ Stratagem drew the enemy forward across the 
river in much disorder, for they believed the Ameri- 
cans were retreating. When the enemy came within 
about seventy yards of. the improvised breastworks 
Battle Musk- a most destructive fire from the riflemen met them. 

grove's Mill. 

The battle was fiercely fought on both sides for an 
hour. The riflemen were about to give way at some 
weak points in the breastworks, when Colonel Innis, 
of the Queen's Regiment, was killed, and, all the 



— 9 — 
other British officers havine" been either killed, ^„s^^"^y. ^P^ 

° ' Clark gain sig- 

wounded or captured, the command devolved upon "^'I'^'P'oryover 

i " i- superior lorce 

Captain Hawse j, a distinguished Tory leader, who ^"j'^g^j^^jP * " "^ ® 
was killed also in a few moments after taking com- 
mand ; whereupon the whole of the enemy's line be- 
gan to break and give back, and, Shelby seeing this, 
charged, and by a flank movement beat most of the 
enemy across the river and gaining their rear cap- 
tured over two hundred of them. In the pursuit 
Captain Inman was killed while fighting several of i^u^an killed, 
the enemy "hand to hand." The enemj^ was com- 
pletely routed, losing of their force three hundred in 
killed and captured. The American loss in numbers 
was slight. In this first complete victory over the 
British in a period of more than fifteen months 
Shelby was in command; his troops during the en- 
gagement were on the right, Clark's on the left, and 
Williams' in the center. 

After having rested a short time, the victorious sheiby and 

.j3 , -, 1 1 • 1 1 Clark ready to 

rmemen had mounted their horses and were m the march on Nine- 
ty-six. 
act of starting toward Ninety-Six, a weak British 

post distant some thirty miles, wdien an express from 
General McDowell arrived in great haste and hand- 
ed Shelby a short letter from Governor Caswell, 
dated on the battlefield, which gave the information 
of the defeat otf the grand! army under General But hear of 

_^ ^ rn Gen. Gates' de- 

Gates near Camden on August 16, 1780. The letter feat at cam- 

•^ ' den. 

advised all the American troops to get out of that part 
of the country, as the enemy would no doubt en- 
deavor to find and cut up or capture all the small 
American forces. The prisoners captured in this en- 
gagement were immediately distributed among the 
forces of Shelby, Clark and Williams, so as to make 
one to every three men, who carried them alternately 
behind them on horseback, the Americans taking up 
their course directly toward the mountains. Their 
march, with the prisoners, was continued at a rapid 



— JO — 
Shelby and p'ait all of that dav and nioht, and nntil late in the 

Clarksave" • n; 

m^n"aud'!r1s*- ^^^^ evening", withont a halt to feed horse or take 
treatlno^to the I'^f I'Gshments, foi* they were pnrsned closely unKl 
mountains. j^^^ ^^^ ^j^^ aftcmoon of the second day by ]\[ajor 

Dupoister and a strong body of monnted men from 
Major Fergnson's command. This long, rapid and 
exhansting retreat saved these troops for use in the 
very near future, 
es^'^back "'^over Shelby now crossed back over the mountains with 
the mountains, j^jg ^^^^^^ -j^^q Sullivau County, leaving Clark and 

Williams to convey the prisoners to some place of 
safety in the East, as it was not then knoT\Ti to them 
that there w^as even the appearance of an American 
force anywhere south of the Potomac Hiver. The two 
affairs or actions, one at Cedar Spring and the latter 
at Muskgrove Mill, have been briefly detailed, be- 
cause of their bearing upon, or as connected Avith, the 
battle of King's Mountain, as will appear further 
along. 

American »™. ia • c 

forces deraorai- ihe statc 01 affairs aiuong the American forces m 

ized and in ^ 

panic. the South was nothing short of demoralization and 

panic, and not much better in the East, 
army brerks^up McDowcll's amiy brokc u]) and disbanded, save a 
menrhV comes Small ]iart, wliich, with a few small squads from 
tauga settle- other demoralized detachments, retreated west of the 
mountains and were the guests of C'Ol. John Sevier, 
on jSTolachucky River, and other citizens in the A\'a- 
tauga and Browm settlements. 
GiTbert Town?' Fergusou, failing in his efforts to overtake Shelby, 
Clark and Williams, turned southeast, encainj)ed and 
fixed his headquarters at Gilbert Town, at which 
point he paroled a ])risoner, by name Samuel Phil- 
Ferguson pa- lips, who had been cai)tured in the engagement with 

roles Samuel^' \ ='p 

Phillips and Imiis a fcw days previous at Cedar Spring. Fergu- 

sends message ^ i. i n o 

by him to offl- g,j-j^ ggj^j. ^^ mcssage bv Phillips to the "officers and 

cers and men & J Jr 

\vtst '^of'^'^the ™en west of the mountains, that if they did not lay 
ui me*s^sage. ^' dowii their arius and cease their opposition to the 



— 11 — 

British government, be (Ferguson) would march his 
army over the mountains and burn and lay waste 
their whole country." This was a fatal message— to 
Ferguson — who received an answer thereto some 
days later at King's Mountain. 

Phillips delivered the message to his old command- Phuiip* de- 

on m 1 • T n i i • i livers message 

er, ohelbv, wlio immediatelv mounted his horse and to sheiby, who 

. , ' . goes to see Se- 

rode about sixty miles to meet and consult with Se-vier. 
vier and others on the situation of affairs and the 
necessary steps to be taken. These people did not 
entertain the slightest fear of Ferguson undertaking 
to carry his threat into execution ; they knew his pur- 
jjose was to intimidate them ; they had never been 
intimidated, and had never before been insulted by 
any such insolent message from any source or power, 
and at the close of the second day of the conference 
it was announced that they would collect the best 
force they could in the shortest possible time, cross 
the mountains like a storm cloud, swoop down ujion 
Ferg^ison 'wherever they could find him and his 
"army," and annihilate the whole force — and they 
did it. 

They fixed Sycamore Shoals as the place, and shofUs^thfphice 
September 25, 1780, as the day for the men to as-25, "itso, Vhe 
semble preparatory to marching over the mountains, campaign de- 

_ 111 termined upon 

Messengers were sent on horseback throughout th^- b.v sheiby and 

_ ^ Sevier. 

settlements, requesting all to come to Svcamore Messages sent 

' ^ ^ • to patriots to 

Shoals prepared to cross over the mountains and assemble. 
whijD out Cornwallis' army, and no call to arms was 
ever responded to with more alacrity, cheerfulness 
and determination. 

Sevier was to bring General McDowell and those sevier to 

T 'r . , . ^ . bring McDow- 

who had retreated with him west of the mountains eii. 
to Sycamore Shoals, while Shelby was to communi- 
cate with and, if possible, secure the assistance and 
co-operation of Col. William Campbell and his forces, 
of Washington County, Va. 



— 12 — 

Shelby ap- Slielbv hastened back home, and by his brother, 

peals to Col. '^ ' 

Campbell. Moses Shelby, sent a letter to Colonel Campbell, de- 
tailing the plan of the campaign and the proposed 
attack upon Ferguson, as determined upon in the 
conference already mentioned. 
Campbell an- At first Coloucl Campbell thought it his duty to 

swGrs* *^ 

use his forces in protecting Virginia from invasion 
by the British from the south, and so wrote Col. Isaac 
Shelby, stating that he (Campbell) thought it best 
for him to march his forces by way of Flower Gap 
and get on the southern border of Virginia on the 
N^orth Carolina line, ready to oppose Cornwallis or 
Ferguson, if they should attempt to enter Virginia 
from that direction, which seemed probable. To this 
letter of Colonel Campbell, Colonel Shelby rej)lied, 
pointing out that it was best to combine all forces^ 
cross over rapidly and suddenly attack and destroy 
Ferguson's army, rather than weaken their chances 
by dividing their forces into small bodies. 
Col. Camp- To this letter Colonel Campbell replied that he 

bell reconsid- _ '- ^ 

*^"- was convinced that Shelby was right, that on reflec- 

tion he had about reached that conclusion before re- 
ceiving Shelby's letter, and that he would join them 
at Sycamore Shoals with his whole force. 
Forces as- On September 25, 1780, Colonel Campbell arrived 

semble at Syc- ^ , 

amore Shoals, at Sycamore Slioals with four hundred men from 

Campbell 400, "^ 

Sevier 24o,shei- Washington Countv, Va. ; Shelby arrived with two 

by 200, with ^ ,- > ? .' 

mTdo'w^i rs ^^^^^'"^'^'^^^ ™^^^ from Sullivan County (then North 
men. °^^^^'^ Carolina, now Tennessee), and Sevier with two hun- 
drcnl and forty men from Washington County (then 
North Carolina, now Tennessee). The remainder of 
the Troops assembled at the Shoals were those of Mc- 
Dowell and Williams, who, as before stated, with 
small bands of men had retreated west of the moun- 
tains. 

This assemblage of pioneer, patriot soldiers, at 
Sycamore Shoals, on the banks of Watauga Kiver, in 



— 13 — 

sight of old Fort Watauga, on September 25, 1780, 
may properly be called the genesis of ''the Vohmteer ..Genesi^s^ of 
State." The signal service they were entering upon f^^^^'u °i!^ ^°'* 
was voluntary, as they were not enlisted as militia, 
and therefore not subject to the call of a superior offi- 
cer; they had simply been requested to meet there 
for the purpose of crossing over the mountains to at- 
tack the British ; they did not know exactly where 
they would find the British, nor in what force, nor 
were they concerned as to these questions ; they were 
absolutelj^ confident, as subsequent events show, that 
they would be the victors. 

Voluntary service and voluntary action on their Voluntary 

•'' •-' services ren- 

part had theretofore been and continued to be the *^^'"*^*^- 
rule that governed them, and had been and was, there- , 

fore, a characteristic that marked and distinguished 
them from all other southwestern pioneers. 

In October, 17Y4, a company of them volunteered 
to aid the Virginians in the battle of Point Pleasant, „^.\^J^}^ °/ 

o ' Point Pleasant 

where Chief Cornstalk was killed; as before stated, 
they had voluntarily crossed the mountains, in the 
summer of 1780, and aided the Carolinians in fight- 
ing the British ; subsequent to the battle of King's 
Mountain they volunteered out of and from under the 

•' Stateof 

jurisdiction of the State of ISTorth Carolina and or- Franklin, 
gaiiized the state government of the State of Frank- 
lin in 178-1*, and voluntarily returned to the old 
North State in 1788; in 1796 they literally volun- i„^;°tlrun[on 
teered into the Uniont, and in June, 1861, volun- of it into the 

. - . 1 /^ /■ 1 Southern Con- 

teered out of the Union and into the Coniederate lederacy. 



♦ The State Government of Franklin was organized at Jonesboro, Wash- 
ington County, December 14, 1784. It had a rather precarious, stormy, and 
romantic existence of about four years: John Sevier was its first and only 
governor. It collapsed in September, 1787. 

t Under the Constitution adopted in 1796, a governor of the state, all 
state officers, and a Legislature were chosen and the state government or- 
ganized at Knoxville. The State Legislature met the first time at Kcoxville 
on March 28, 1796, and enacted several laws which remain in force to-day, 
although Tennessee was not admitted by Congress into the Union until June 
1, 1796. 



— 14 — 

States of America, while about thirty-five thousand 
foo^™^ '^^"^kI of them volunteered out of the Southern Confederacv 

teer out or the ^ 

feTerac7 ^nto ('^1" rather fought their way out) and into the Union 

the Federal /t7j „l\„ „ 

array. ( bederal) army. 

the Union. Tho State of Teuuessee voluntarily, I may say, 

Last to leave i tt • i • i i • i 

and first to re- returned to the Union, being the last state to with- 

turn. 

draw or secede and the first to return, and the only 
Voluntarily g^ate ill the Union to vohmtarilv abolish slavery, 

free their own • •' ' 

slaves. which it did by a constitutional amendment volunta- 

rily 'idopted on the 22d day of February, 1865. 

Tennessee was not included in Mr. Lincoln's 

p^'oclamttion "Emancipation Proclamation,*' issued January 1. 

Tennessee!" ^1803, designating the States in which negro slaves 

should ''be then, thenceforward and forever free," 

, so thai the slaves emancipated in Tennessee "owe 

their freedom" to Tennesseans.* 

Returning from this digression to the forces as- 
sembled at Sycamore Shcf.ls, I wish to call attention 
to the fact that they wore no "plumed l^ats" and gay 
uniforms ; they had no martial music to inspire them ; 
the_7 had no artillery, no carbines, no swords, and no 

The uniforms, amiv pistols. 'i'hcv worc coouskiu caps and home- 
arms and sup- ^ ± ./ ^ i ^ 

plies of the he- j^;ir^,;[g wool hats, With liome-madc huntiiiff shirts, 

roes of King s ' "^ ' 

Mountain. trouscrs aiid shoes, and were armed with old-fash- 
ioned, muzzle-loading, flint-lock-squirrel, and Dech- 
erd rilles. They had no commissary nor ammunition 
trains ; their snp])lies consisted of some beef cattle, 
vhich they drove on Uot Avitli them for meat, a few 
cooking utensils faslriK'd to their saddles, and each 
one carried a large, well-filled haversack which had 

*The North Carolina Act, ceding the territory now Tennessee to the 
United States, contained the following: "Provided, always, that no regu- 
lations made or to be made by Congress shall tend to emancipate slaves.'' 
The whole of the Cession Act was embodied iu and became part of the Act 
of Congress accepting the territory, and Congress could not, therefore, 
emancipate slaves in Tennessee. Mr. Lincoln omitted Tennessee in his 
proclamation naming the States in which slaves should "then, thencefor- 
ward and forever be free," not because of the proviso quoted from the Ces- 
sion Act, for, if Mr. Lincoln even knew of it, it was never mentioned by 
him; therefore other considerations must have induced him to omit Tennes- 
see in the proclamation on the subject of emancipation. 



— 15 — 

been packed full of the best food that the good and 
patriotic mothers, wives and sisters could furnish. 

Their ammunition was an old-fashioned "shot- .^„f J ™ ^ iJJj^ '^ 
pouch," swung around the neck and resting on the 
right side, with a waterproof cover made of calf or 
deer skin^. tanned with the hair on (or a bear or coon- 
skin covering), and a powder cowhorn filled with 
j)owder, and a powder charger made of a hollow goose- 
bone swinging to the horn, this horn resting on the 
outside of the cover or flap, while inside the "pouch" 
(pocket) were lead, "patching," a knife to cut the 
patching, bullets and bullet moulds, with gun wipers 
and tow to wipe or clean out the inside of the gun 
from the effect of frequent firing. Such were the 
uniform, quartermaster, commissary, arms and am- 
munition of the men who were to "turn the tide of 
success" in the war for index:)endence. 

As this force was about to move out a gentleman, 
whose face indicated character, courage, patriotism 
and reverence for the Almighty, rose up and in com- 
manding tones said they must read a chapter from the 
Bibiir and offer a prayer before the force moved. The ^^ samuei 
person thus speaking was Rev. Samuel Doak, and hOeh'a'^pteJTndor- 
read the chapter, and, tradition says, he prayed loud- lore they move 

, 1.1 ' T li 1 1 _e ,^1 T 1 "■'"" Sycamore 

ly and with great unction that the sword oi the Lord shoais, and hc- 

•^ ° • 1 1 ooinpanies the 

and of Gideon might be placed in their hands, and troops in a 

" ■*- ■^ ^ double capaci- 

that they be given strength to slay their enemies with ^oj^jj^.r'''''''''''^' 
it." It is also tradition that Dr. Doak accompanied 
the force on this campaign in a double capacity — ■ 
chaplain, with his Bible in his "shotpouch," and sol- 
dier in the ranks with his Decherd rifle. 

The force took up the line of inarch, passing 
over the Eoane Mountain, on the summit of ^^^lich ^_carnp,^^^^driii 
they camped, spending one day in drilling the men, f^^*?^'"^ Mo^n- 
and assigning them to the various commands, duties, 
etc. Here, it was discovered, that two men had de-caule ^chlitgl 
sorted, which caused a change in the route down the 



— 16 — 

eastern side of the mountain ; tlie_y turned a little to 
the left, southeast, and literally cut their way down 
into the settlements, which they reached about Oc- 
tober 1. 
all ° da'/'^land Tlic 2d day of Octobcr it rained all day, so that 
move, but held the army did not move at all. The officers in com- 
war. mand held a counsel of war each evening after going 

into camp. 
The select When they got in the vicinity of where they sup- 
as^'chfe'f^com- P^sed they would find Ferguson and his force, the 
mander. officers held a meeting with a view of selecting a chief 

commander. It was suggested at first that they send 
some one to headquarters to get a commander. To 
this proposition Colonel Shelby objected, as none of 
them knew of any headquarters south of the Potomac, 
and, furthermore, they were then in striking distance 
of the enemy, their information being that Ferguson, 
with his whole force, was then at Gilbert Town, 
only sixteen miles away ; and it was insisted by offi- 
cers and men that if they delayed long enough to find 
headquarters and a commander, Ferguson and his 
force would "escape." 
They fear not Their oulv fear was, not that Ferguson might figlit 

that Ferguson ' ' o o - 

aII^ fight and and defeat them, but that he would run awav to avoid 

defeat them, ' 

" elcape."*^ "'^^ '^ battle and "escape" the destruction which they were 
confident of inflicting upon him and his army. At this 
time they did not know, nor did they seem to care, 
whether Ferguson had one thousand or five thousand 
men with him. It was determined that they must act 
with promptness, and Colonel Shelby proposed that 
they select one of their own officers to take command 
of the force, and that they march early the next morn- 
ing to Gilbert Town and attack Ferguson; and, (^^l- 
onel Shelby said, as they were principally Xortli 
Carolinians, except Colonel Campbell, of Virginia, 
whom he (Shelby) knew to be not only a brave and 
experienced soldier, but a man of fine sense and (|iinl- 



— 17 — 

ities and greatly attached to the cause of his country, 
and that as Campbell commanded a respectable regi- 
ment, indeed larger in numbers than anyone else, he 
(Shelby) moved that Campbell be placed in com- 
mand, which was agreed to, and Colonel Campbell 
took command. 

The next day after Campbell took command, which They leam 

•J ■ i- that Ferguson 

was October 5, they learned that Ferguson had de- ^a^s^ decainped 
camped from Gilbert Town, and that he had taken a Town, 
circuitous route eastward; that he was spreading all 
kinds of proclamations through the country and mak- 
ing flattering promises to the Tories, urging them to 
join him, etc., and that he was also murdering and 
hanging patriots, and burning their property, as he 
passed eastward through the country. 

Their fear that Ferguson would "escape" was in- thlt^^Fer^us^on 
tensified by this latest information, and they deter- ^ape" intensi- 
mined to jDursue him day and night without eating 
or sleeping until they overtook him. The night fol- 
lowing the day they received this latest information, 
Avhich was two nights before the battle, the officers ^g^®°|[,^ ^jgjjj 
were engaged nearly the whole night in selecting the n"en and horses 
men in the best physical condition, the best horses guio'n.^"'^ 
and the best rifles. 

This selection and count of men and horses re- 

. . ^ -, , I Ninehundred 

suited m putting nine hundred and ten expert marks- and ten men 

-"■ 1 1 ~ 1 1 ^^'^ horses se- 

men in the saddle on an equal number oi the bestiected, who 

•^ start before 

horses in the camp, who took up the march before '^^y^ifj^'^foj^^g^ 
daylight the morning following, determined to ^ours. 
pursue, overtake and destroy Ferguson. 

In the pursuit they passed near to several camps of They pass 
Tories, one at "Cowpens," where General Morgan want Ferguson', 

and do not stop 

afterward 'defeated Tarlton, several hundred at one to capture the 

' Tories. 

Major Gibbs', four miles to their right, but they were 
after Ferguson, the man who had sent them the in- 
solent, insulting command to "lay down their arms 
and cease their opposition to the British govern- 



— 18 — 

ment," and tliey would not leave bis trail to kill and 

capture a few hundred Tories. 

Ferguson's route was easily followed, as it was 
soD'^s^\raiT"by marked Ijv smoking' ruins, ash heaps made by burn- 
and new-made iug the liomes of patriots, and also by the new-made 

graves he left ' . n • i i i i i • i ^ i 

behind him. graves in which had been buried murdered patriots, 

and also by weeping widows and orphans. Botta, the 

„ ,^ ' Italian historian of the revolution, says the sight of 

Botta says > ./ a 

ow^s*^''ami'^^or' tliese new-iiiade graves, smoking ruins, and weeping 
son"ieftb*hfnd '^^'^'dows and orpliaiis "infuriated the over-mountain 
mountai ™men uieu to such a degree that they raged and roared 

FHge and roar , ti t ?? 

like lions. aluiOSt like llOUS. 

The pursuit of Ferguson, much of the time in a 

cavalry trot, was kept up thirty-six hours, save one, 

which was given to men and horses to feed and rest, 

when, on October 7, 1780, at about 3 o'clock in the 

Overtake Fer- afternoon, the "over-mountain men" came up with 

fied°on Ki°[or's him eucamped and fortified on King's Mountain, 

Mountain, Oct. , . ._ c • j. i 

7, 1780. SO named, as it seems, by J^ erguson, lor m a captured 

dispatch directed to Cornwallis Ferguson savs he is 

Ferguson des- - ^ ' . 

patches Corn- '^encampcd and fortified on a mountain" which he 

wallis that all J- 

ii'l*'out'ofheVi l^fis named "Kings, in honor of the king," and "from 
htr^from"^ m's which mountaiu," says Ferguson to Cornwallis, "all 
position. ^1^^ yelling devils out of hell cannot drive or dislodge 

me." 

Although the men were very w^et, for it had rained 
nearly all day, and they had used their hunting 
shirts and blankets to wrap up their arms, especially 
"^wd''er*^lns*^^® powdcr paus, to keep them in firing condition, 
^^^•" they immediately agreed upon the plan of attack, 

which was to surround the mountain and attack from 
all sides at the same time, the mountain's summit 
being only about eight hundred yards in length and 
about one hundred yards wide. 

It is not necessary for the purposes of this address 
to describe the battle in detail ; it is on\y necessary 
to say that the whole force was distributed around the 



— 19 — 

mountain's sides and ends, and that the attack was ,,.T^hebameon 

' King's Moun- 

made simultaneoiislv np the sides and ends of the •^'^^"^ ^ ^ g^^.^ 
mountain. Those in command mider Campbell were ™ve?ed'!'^^ *°" 
Shelby, Cleveland, Williams and Sevier. The troops 
formerly under McDowell formed part of Sevier's 
regiment or command. 

Haywood, in his History of Tennessee, says: ''The 
action was furious and bloody at the eastern end of 
the mountain, and that many that belonged to Se- 
vier's command were drawn to this part of the line 
to sustain their comrades; that the American troops American 
were repeatedly repulsed by the British and driven ed°°^^ep'lllsed, 

■^ • 1 ' i" n- 1 1 '"^* return to 

back down the mountain, but were as oiten rallied by the charge, 
their officers and returned to the charge, and that in 
this series of attacks and repulses the men of Camp- 
bell's, Shelby's and Sevier's columns were mingled 
together in confusion ; that during the latter part of 
the action the British made a fierce and gallant 
charge upon the American troops on the eastern side 
(southeastern) of the mountain, and drove the Amer- 
icans nearly to the foot ; but they rallied, returned to 
the charge and in a few moments came into close 
action with the British, who in turn began to give 
way, and then the Americans gained the summit and cans gain sum- 
drove the British along the top of the mountain until tain and drive 

c 1 T 1 IT British along 

they were forced down the western end, a distance ot top. 
one hundred yards, to the point where a part of the 
British force was in conflict with the men under 
Cleveland and Williams." The forces engaged in 
driving the British from the east to the west end of 
the mountain, as stated by Haywood, must have been 
those under Sevier and Shelby, for Haywood's state- 
ment that they were driven to the point where Cleve- 
land and Williams had part of the British force en- 
gaged, is followed by a further statement (in Hay- 
wood) that '^Colonel Cam]ibell marched at the head 
of his forces to the foot of the mountain and with lii^ 



— 20 — 

division ascended, killing all that came in his way, 
until coming near enough to the main body of the 
enemy posted on the summit, he poured in upon them 
a deadly fire, until the enemy with fixed bayonets 
charged upon Campbell's troops, who gave way and 
went down the hill, but they were formed and rallied 
again and advanced up the mountain ; that the whole 

Whole moun- '^ \ ^ ^ 

tain girdled jiiountain was uow girdled with flame, smoke and 

with name, o ' 

th™ nd^er * " "^ thuiidcr around the sides and ends ; that the divisions 
oi^s\nVThe (o^^ the Americans) Avere closing them in and main- 
Bntishin. taiuing the action with vigor and eftect, when Fer- 
guson, while attempting to form his troo])s in one 
column w^th a view of breaking through the lines of 
Ferguson the assailauts [and "escaping"] was shot and fell 

killed. '- . 

dead from his horse, upon which event the command 
devolved upon Dupoister. The fire from the Ameri- 
cans had now become so hot and fatal it could be no 

British sur- lougcr sustaiucd, and the enemy raised a white flag 
and submitted to become prisoners of war. Soms 
of the young men, not knowing the meaning of the 
white fiag, still kept up their fire until they were 
informed, when the firing ceased." 

Report of bat- A report of the battle was made to. General Gates, 

tie signed by 

campbeii,shei- which was Signed at Hillsboro, IST. C, by William 

by and Benja- '^ 7 7 .y 

«ii^^ cievehuid. Campbell, Isaac Shelby and Benjamin Cleveland. 

tMs report.*'"'' ^^^^^ report is not signed by John Sevier, for the 
reason that Sevier did not accomj)any the prisoners 
and the American forces to Hillsboro, as on a con- 
sultation the day after the battle it was thought best 
for Sevier to recross the mountains at once, with 
the wounded Americans and his forces, to protect 
the people and the frontiers. 
Battle lasted The report savs the battle was fought in one hour 

one hour and ± ^ <- 

five minutes, aud fivc miuutes ; that from the names and returns 
found in their camp the whole force of Ferguson 
consisted of eleven hundred and twenty-five men, and 



— 21 



that the total loss of the enemy at King's Mountain ^toui ^los^ of 
was eleven hundred and five men. Tliey report the 
total number of Americans killed as twenty-eight, 



American 



and the total number wounded as sixty, but do not loss, kiiied 28, 
report the number of the eneniy in killed and wound- 
ed. Haywood says : "The total number of the enemy 
in killed was one hundred and fifty-one, and of, prit'sii loss, 

•-' ' killed 151, 

wounded one hundred and fifty, and that there were ™urgd ^bcfut 
captured more than fifteen hundred stands of arms."^^^; escaped 
This last statement of Haywood's is proof almost con- 
clusive that when the battle began Ferguson had on 
the mountain some fifteen hundred men, some three 
or four hundred of whom escaped. Haywood says 
about four hundred escaped. The larger body of 
troops surrendering to the smaller, as was the case, it 
was impossible to prevent some from escaping. 

Thirty-six hours before the battle nine hundred 
and ten men, and an equal number of horses, had 
been selected to pursue and overtake Ferguson ; when 
they came uj) with him every fourth man at least 
must have been "counted out to hold horses," which ^^^'^g^j'^fjj^^g 
would leave a little less than seven hundred Ameri- ;;°^^"^^ofses"."*° 
cans attacking some fifteen hundred British, forti- 
fied', in an invincible position, on top of a mountain, 
and utterly destroying them as originally planned 
and determined upon by Sevier and Shelby. 

"ISTapoleon stood on Mt. Tabor and viewed the con- 

^ Napoleon on 

flict going on in the valley beneath him between the ^t. Tabor, 
wliole Turkish army, composed of fifteen thousand 
infantry and twelve thousand splendid cavalry, and, 
as under brave Kleber it continued, he could see 
the splendid Turkish squadrons wheel, reform and 
charge with deafening shouts while their scimiters 
gleamed like a fence of steel through the smoke of 
battle . . . but they were received by a wasting 
fire from Tvleber's little band of three thousand." 



— 22 — 

i^apoleoii fired a single shot from a twelve-pounder 
on I'abor, which told the wearied Kleber— for the 
battle had been in progress for six dreadful hours — 
ihat lie was rushing to the rescue. In this, as in all 
the battles lvra2:)oleon fought, he was actuated by am- 
wished. bitiou, uuholj ambition — universal empire — he to be 

the emperor. 
Hannibal on When Hannibal, the great Carthaa'enian warrior, 

the Alps. . ^ . 

and. as I believe, the greatest general of ancient 
times, left the River Roane in Spain to invade beau- 
tiful Italy, he had a magnificent army of forty-six 
thousand ni(>n who had never known defeat He 
marched diiect to rlie foot of the Alps. He \v'as nine 
days in geMu-g his army to the top of the mountain ; 
so groai was tlie smTering of his men fr im cold and 
ilie t<>ils endured that he lost many lhr,usands of 
them Ix'forc^ he !.;)iried the summit, and also lost mucli 
of Jiis ancient artillery and engines of war. So great 
hfid been the sutfering and mortality in iiis army 
that it was with great difiiculty he prevented mutiny 
even after lie had succeeded in reaching the top of 
the Alps. To divert and quiet his men, Hannib;:d 
called them around him on the eastern side of the 
summit of the mountain, overlooking Italy, and 
pointing down into the beautiful plains of the Pied- 
what he said mout Oil the Rivcr Po, lie said, ''Look down there ; it 

and wanted. ..,.,., ^ -. -, .-,■, 

IS rich with spoil ; a lew more days and we will 
plunder it !" This was the lowest incentive to induce 
an army to invade a country and plunder it. Spoils ! 
What a contrast between the motives of IN^apoleon 
and Hannibal and the purposes that actuated Sevier, 

sevierands^hei- Shelby, Campbell, and others and their followers ! 

Roane. What W^hcu the latter ascended, camped, upon and crossed 

they desired. . , 

over the Alleghany Mountains, they w^ere not moved 
to do so by a desire to plunder and despoil a neigh- 
boring people, nor by a desire to form a great empire 



— 23 — 

and luake one of themselves emperor. Xo, no ; palri- 
otism in its pnrity was the motive. From the top of 
the Koane the}' conld see back down into the valleys 
of the Watanga and the Plolston and over into the 
vicinity of "Wolf Hills" (Abingdon), Virginia, 
wdiere were their children, wives, mothers, and sis- 
ters, and where was the nucleus of nnborn states, and 
the home of honesty and freedom, while on the op- 
posite side was the invader who wms engaged in a 
campaign of cruelty, rapine and murder, with no 
other object in view than to coerce them into submis- 
sion to British ownership and oppression ; while i^ 
command of this enemy to their freedom was the man 
who had commanded them to "lay down their arms 
and cease their opposition to the British government" 
or he 'Svould cross his army over the mountain and 
burn their homes and lay waste their country." 

In a very few days after they took a last look from 
the lop of the Koane back into the valleys, these pio- 
neer patriots and soldiers taught the British a lesson 
which caused a panic in Cornw^allis' army and put 
him in full retreat from Charlotte, ]Sr. C, tow^ard the 
sea. 

From the time our ancestors fought the battle of , Tennesseans 

*^ always volun- 

King's ]\Iountain there has not been a battlefield t^eers. 
where the soil was wet with human blood in defense 
of liberty, freedom and right principles that Ten- 
nesseans were not there voluntarily. Tennesseans, 
or their ancestors, were at Alamance the first, Alamo 
the bloodiest, and Apjiomattox the saddest ; and they 
were at King's ]\Iountain, Emuckfau, Horseshoe, 
Pent-acola, Xew Orleans, Cherubusco and Chapaulte- 
pec. 

Tlie President of the United States, a few weeks 
since, upon this platform, called attention to the fact 
that, while Tennessee was only asked for twenty-four 



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011 712 466 6< 



24 



hiindred troops for the Mexican War, more than thir- 
ty thousand volunteered their services, which could 
not be accepted by the government.* 

The flowers of a century af springs have blossomed 
and faded over most of the graves of the heroes of 
King's Mountain, and the snows of a hundred 
winters have sifted gently down upon the remaining 
mounds that mark the spots where rest their sacred 
dust, and the birds have sung their sweetest songs in 
the bush and bramble that have overgrown their hal- 
lowed ashes, and yet we,t their descendants and ben- 
Dnty neglect- eficiarics of their braverv in the liberties we enioy 

ed by Tennes- ■ •' "^ 

seans. .^j^j ^]^g magnificent and beautiful state we possess, 

have neglected to erect a suitable monument to com- 
memorate their deeds, virtues and patriotism. 

* During the Civil War or "war between the States," Tennessee furnished 
more than one hundred and fifteen thousand troops to the Confederate armies 
and about thirty-flve thousand white soldiers and twenty thousand negro 
troops to the Federal army, being more proportionate to population than 
any State iu the Union furnished. The counties composing the first con- 
gressional district in Tennessee when the Civil War began furnished more 
than four thousand soldiers to the Confederate army, and then sent into the 
Federal army more white soldiers than any other one congressional district 
in any one of the States. 

t My grandfather, John Allison, was in the battle at King's Mountain, 
where he was wounded, which caused him to walk lame, from a stiff knee, 
the remainder of his life. He was in Isaac Shelby's regiment, in which, 
tradition says, he was a captain. He was ever thereafter known as and 
called Captain "Jack " Allison. 



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